Resume trial of ex-MP Hafiz Ibrahim: HC

The High Court yesterday cleared the way for a lower court to resume the trial of former BNP lawmaker Hafiz Ibrahim in a case filed in 2013 over misappropriating relief goods.

The court lifted its 2013 stay order and also directed a Barishal court to finish the proceedings in six months, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik said.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam delivered the verdict after rejecting a revision petition filed by the Hafiz for scrapping the case proceedings.

In 2007, police recovered a huge amount of corrugated tin from Hafiz Ibrahim College in Bhola, which was sanctioned to be distributed as relief items.

The case was lodged by Zaki Uddin, upazila project implementation officer and later transferred to Anti-Corruption Commission.

In 2013, HC stayed the trial against Hafiz and issued a rule asking the ACC and the government to explain why the proceedings should not be scrapped.

Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon appeared for Hafiz while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for the ACC.